The James Irvine Foundation is providing support to California community arts projects through the New Connections Fund (NCF), a program strategy that prioritizes diversity and location. One of NCF's "program strategies," Connection Through Cultural Participation, reaches out to small and mid-sized arts and cultural organizations that haven't received previous Irvine funding. Grants of up to $50,000 are intended to "support projects that present the diverse cultures represented in the state," enabling them to broaden, deepen and diversify participation in their programs. NCF prioritizes the Central Valley and Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties as geographic areas of strategic importance because they've been traditionally underserved by philanthropy; they're experiencing major demographic shifts and rapid population growth; and low-income people reside there in disproportionate numbers. Recent grantees are on the Web. Next deadline: August 13, 2007. [LINK] Posted by Linda Frye Burnham